Bar code labels are being increasingly utilized, at least in part because of their ability to transfer data from one data processing system to another quickly and reliably. In industries which use many different types of data processing systems, generating a bar code label from one type of data processing system that can be read by another type of data processing system can be problematic. For example, in the health care industry, hospitals frequently have a variety of different laboratory information systems. These laboratory information systems contain data which can be printed onto a bar code label for use with bar code-capable hospital equipment, such as hematology and chemistry analyzers. Unfortunately, laboratory information systems are often proprietary systems, whose manufacturers either do not offer bar code generating software or printer drivers, or who may no longer even support the equipment. Many of these proprietary laboratory information systems do not have the capability to communicate with a bar code printer. Development of custom software to run on the laboratory information system can be expensive, if available at all, and necessary on-going support will be accordingly expensive.
In response to this problem, printers have been developed which can accept a stream of data from a predetermined host computer, such as a laboratory information system, and can format the steam of data for use with the printer. Such printers typically contain one or more formats for use with the data to generate one or more predetermined labels. While such printers eliminate the need to develop custom software for a proprietary host computer, any changes necessary to the instructions for formatting the stream of data, brought about for example because of a change in the host computer environment, requires installation of new circuitry. Of course, the printer is unavailable during the installation of such new circuitry. Similarly, if a new label format is desired, it is necessary to design, debug and install in the printer new circuitry containing the new format. This can require a significant amount of time and coordination between the printer user and the printer manufacturer. Finally, each printer is designed for use with a particular host computer, requiring separate printers for each host computer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,528 discloses a printer capable of printing characters in various fonts and formats onto a web of records. The printer disclosed in the '528 patent contains a read-only memory in which software routines defining optional features or operations of the printer are stored. An alterable memory contains a table with information identifying each optional operation software routine as enabled or disabled. A processor in the printer can interface with an input device, such as keyboard or a computer, by which the table can be altered and, thus, the optional software routines enabled or disabled. The software instructions themselves cannot be altered without removing the read-only memory and installing a new read-only memory.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,742 discloses a printer control apparatus which includes a modem for receiving text data in an EBCDIC format, and a converter for converting the text data into an ASCII format. The conversion instructions are stored in an EEPROM memory and can be remotely programmed via the modem.